Before There Was Light
by CheechHatesClowns
Summary: Alternate past for Christine Daae. She is a young girl who was thrust into a dark, cruel world. Phantom appears early on, looking into the life of his one true love. Rated M... for a reason.
1. Prologue

A/N: A few notes about this story. It is based off of the stage adaptation that was performed at the Royal Albert Hall. It's my favorite production of the musical for numerous reasons. I'm basically focusing on Christine's past and moving on from there. I've taken liberties and changed what we all know from the book. The only information any of you need is from the musical. However, some of you may recognize certain elements from Gaston Leroux's Phantom even if they may be warped a bit.

A/N 2: This story is rated M for a reason. Please do not read if you cannot handle such things. Christine's past is not a happy one, some terrible unfortunate things occur. However, I will try to limit the graphic scenes. Only when necessary will I write them. All right, "far too many notes for my taste." Let us get on with the story.

_**Before There Was Light…**_

**Prologue**

**There was darkness.**

The year was 1876.

The large, muscular man had hold of her neck firmly. Such force was needed to handle the miscreant. After the girl's countless attempts to escape, constant supervision of the girl was put into effect. The Orphanage of France was very strict when it came to discipline. They simply would not put up with such foolishness.

The young girl squirmed in the man's grasp as he forced her up the stone steps. She stumbled over her feet and the steps as the force from behind kept pushing. His grip tightened, if that was possible, and her neck felt close to breaking.

"Don't make me go… Oh, God, please! I want my father!"

"Your father is dead, mademoiselle. Eaten by maggots! " He let out a cruel chuckle from his swollen, fish-like lips, "Now, move!"

"No! He is not being devoured by maggots! He is in heaven… and he has sent me the Angel of Music!" She desperately tried to break free once more, "I have to be at his grave when _he_ arrives!"

"Shut it, girl, or there will be trouble. Now, behave! You have to be presentable for this loving family or you will be back at that horrid orphanage and locked in the closet with no attention…again!"

She composed herself instantly at the threat. Last time she was locked in the closet she was there for six days… no food…no water… no light…

"There is a good girl," the giant of a man said soothingly as he took his grip off the girl and smoothed down her messy locks. He put one hand tightly on her shoulder and with the other he knocked heavily on the wooden door.

He tightened his clutch on the girl ever so slightly when she made a sudden twitch. He looked to the girl's face and grinned. His pointed mustache stretched in a fanatical manner as he smiled. She was scared, with wide eyes and her skin lacking in color.

_Poor girl… oh, well._

The door before them swung open violently. Screechy shouts from inside could be heard as they bounced off walls and reached the ears of the terrified girl and her guard. A short, plump woman stood in the door way with a dingy dress and a rag covering her head. The girl would always remember her for her permanently contorted face, as if she was constantly displeased with the stench in the air. At this moment, the girl was that stench.

"Is this it, then?" the woman spoke to the man but glared at the skinny girl before her.

"Indeed, madam. She isn't much but we have taught her well to behave," the man told the woman proudly.

"How old are you, girl?" the woman directed her next question to the girl.

The young girl stared at the woman, speechless. Her mind was elsewhere… on her angel. And she was afraid that she would miss him. She was afraid of this woman and rightly so. The woman was irritated with the girl's silence, "Well?"

"Uh… yes?" the girl said with wide, green eyes. She forgot the question asked of her and chose the next best possible answer. Hopefully she was correct.

She wasn't.

"Are you hard of hearing, girl? What is your age?"

"Oh, madam, forgive me. I am fifteen years."

The woman grunted, "I suppose you'll do, won't you?" the tubby woman spoke exasperatedly, "Get inside, you worthless girl. Bonjour, monsieur."

Madame Valérius slammed the door shut and Christine Daaé was thrust into a world full of poverty and despair, of riches and redemption, and of love and loss.

A/N: Does this plot seem likes it's worth continuing? I hope you enjoyed. I should post chapter one within the next week. Thank you for reading.


	2. My Eyes Have Seen You

_A/N: _Thank you for the wonderful reviews. Here's the 1st chapter. Enjoy!

_**Before There Was Light…**_

**Chapter 1**

**There Was Darkness.**

The year was 1874.

That was when he first heard her. The notes of the violin hummed softly through the brisk, night air. A soft, delicate voice accompanied the flowing notes. The tune was close to perfect and the masked stranger knew that he must look upon the face of such musical beauty.

"No- what I love best, Lotte said,

Is when I'm asleep in my bed,

And the Angel of Music sings songs in my head.

The Angel of Music sings songs in my head…"

The campground was filled with many people and with many attractions. Lanterns hung from wooden poles and lit the field in patches. Darkness covered the most strange of human oddities. Only the brave dared to uncloak such darkness. One such darkness pushed his way through the bodies, his deformed face masked to avoid the terrified screeches of children.

He reached the crowd of adoring people, who 'oohed' and 'ahhed' at the father-daughter duo. Amazement was evident on their faces and in their voices. They were too engrossed to notice him. No one ever notices a nobody. But she did. Her voice faltered just a bit as she saw his burning eyes staring admiringly at her from the shadows. She quickly turned away from the masked man and looked to the crowd as she sang.

When she chanced a glance back to the shadows, he was gone…

He rushed through the dimness of the atmosphere to escape her glance. The gears in his head started to turn as he imagined a world where her voice permeated the darkness with such purity and beauty. He knew then that he must have her. He needed her for his music.

He retreated to his tent and pushed the keys on his piano as he tried considerably to create a new song, a song for her to sing for him. He knew, however, that she would not willingly sing for a monster like him. He would have to do something drastic to gain her favor. Force was key.

It was past midnight when he left the tent to wander the nearby forest. The fair had ended and people were still evacuating. The fair crew was gathering up the trash. As he walked the dirt path he saw a small glow of fire in the distance between the trees. Again, the violin hummed and beautiful words followed. There was laughter and he knew the girl was there.

He was drawn to the fire like a moth. He knew not what horrors stood before him and ignored anything in his mind that told him to venture no further. The girl…

The girl…

He hid behind the nearest tree that seemed the best for concealing his figure. He gazed upon the sight. The man with the violin was halfway lying down on a long, brown potato sack as he played his instrument. His eyes were closed as he moved the bow back and forth. The young girl was there but she was no longer singing. She listened intently to her father as he spoke. And then there was the boy, who looked longingly at the girl.

The masked figure glared angrily at the boy. He felt a certain protectiveness of the girl because the girl would soon belong to him.

Then he heard her speak, "Oh, Raoul. Isn't it a lovely story?"

"A beautiful fairy tale, indeed. Almost matching your beauty, but not quite."

The masked man was disgusted at his words and was relieved when the man with the violin spoke up.

"All right. That is enough, young Viscount. It is time that Christine was put to sleep and you must return to your family before they start to miss you. You are leaving in the morning, are you not?"

"You are not wrong, monsieur. I hope to see you soon, Christine. I believe we will be visiting Northern France again within the next month."

He stood up and bent down to kiss Christine on the cheek and she blushed. He then strolled to her father and gave him a firm hand shake.

"Fare thee well. I hope we meet again in good company," With that he bowed and turned to leave.

When the boy, Raoul, was long gone, Christine spoke up and asked the question she had asked of her father thousands of times before, "Father, do you believe that the Angel of Music really exists?"

"Of course, I do, child. Scandinavian fairy tales are all based in truth. When I'm in heaven, child, I will send the Angel of Music to you. You will hear. I'll always be with you."

Christine looked up to her father with young, bright eyes. Her long, brown locks bounced as she rose to her knees and engulfed her father in a hug. The blaze of the fire made her skin look stunning.

The masked man brought his hand up to graze his mask. How could she ever love him?

His obsession grew as he looked at the girl with the magnificent voice. It needed some tweaking, of course, but it had great potential. If only he could train her… When she stood, she looked at the shadows where he was standing. She couldn't see anything, surely. But could she hear his heavy breathing?

Something has started right now, she felt. Could it be her angel was all ready looking over her? Was he getting his self acquainted with his future student? She didn't know, but she could believe it. Her father was hardly ever wrong.

He felt her gaze and slowly stepped back. Everything would be ruined if she saw him right now. In time, she would be his. In time…


End file.
